Berlusconi: Scudetto expensive but worth it
Reuters - Saturday 07 May 2011, 22:54
ROME - AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi
said winning the club's first scudetto for seven years had been
expensive but worth it and promised the team would challenge for
the Champions League next season.
Milan's triumph ends five seasons of dominance by their city
rivals Inter Milan and follows Berlusconi loosening the purse
strings having reined back transfer spending during the global
economic crisis.
"Finally, this scudetto has arrived, we have done so much
for it and we have pulled it off," he told Italian television
after Saturday's 0-0 draw at AS Roma sealed the Serie A title
with two matches left.
"The whole group deserves the credit for winning the
scudetto, which is also the result of making the right choices.
"We have found a coach in Massimiliano Allegri who has
quickly adapted to the Milan style and the new signings such as
(Zlatan) Ibrahimovic, (Kevin-Prince) Boateng and (Mark) van
Bommel have been decisive.
"Remember that the squad is well-equipped and it allowed us
to weather difficult moments in the season when we were hit by
injuries."
He added: "Obviously, all this has cost a lot. To win in
football, you need to spend money and make the right choices,
especially in the European field, but we are in a good position
to be able to do well in Europe as well.
"Milan will continue to be one of the top contenders," added
the Italian prime minister.
Critics feel Europe could still be a bridge too far for
Milan, who were eliminated by Tottenham Hotspur in the last 16
of this season's Champions League.
A poor performance by Italian sides this term saw only Inter
Milan reach the quarter-finals where they were thumped 7-3 on
aggregate by Schalke 04.
Allegri, who had never coached a big club before joining
Milan last June having plied his trade in the lower divisions
until three years ago, said Milan needed to continue improving.
"To win in my first season is very satisfying," he said. "I
want to thank the president for giving me such a strong squad.
"For the future, we need to improve an already strong squad
and the president has said he will give us a present and we're
all happy."